Question

Write the number of vertical columns in the modern periodic table.What are these columns called?

Answer 1

Hint: The modern periodic table is used to organize all the known elements.
Elements present in the modern periodic table are arranged in both vertical columns and horizontal rows. All the elements that are situated in the same vertical column generally have the same electronic configuration. Total number of vertical columns in the periodic table is equal to the total number of electrons that filled in the third shell of the atom.

Complete answer:
In modern periodic table, some of the characteristics of Mendleev’s table were taken into consideration.
In the modern periodic table elements are arranged by increasing atomic number instead of atomic mass. Atomic number is the number of protons present in the atom and this number is unique for each element. Modern periodic table contain many new elements than the Mendleev’s periodic table because many new elements were discovered since Mendleev’s time.

As mentioned before elements in the periodic table are arranged in both vertical columns and horizontal rows. The columns of the table represent groups of elements or families of elements. The elements present in the same group often look and behave similarly, and this happens because they have the same number of electrons in their outermost shell. Total number of main group elements is eight and the other ten are transition metals.

Below mentioned are the groups and their names with number
Group-1 : Alkali metals
Group-2 : The alkaline earth metals
Group-3 : The transition metals
Group-13 : The trials
Group-14 : The tetrels
Group-15 : The Pnictogens
Group-16 : The halogens
Group-17 : The noble gases

Thus we can conclude that there are 18 vertical columns in the modern periodic table and these vertical columns are known as “groups”.

Note: The most important points is that the Modern Periodic table has 18 vertical columns and 7 horizontal rows. Do not get confused between columns and rows present in the periodic table as they have their own specific names. Columns are known as groups and rows are known as periods. All the periods do not have the same number of elements for example there are only 2 elements in the first period.